Michael Chaves, the director behind the popular Conjuring franchise, has recently given some insights into the upcoming ninth installment, “The Conjuring: The Last Rites”. This follows on from the release of The Nun II, another successful piece in this well-loved horror universe.
Chaves, having taken over the director’s chair from Corin Hardy for this sequel, brings a wealth of experience to the genre – something seen in his previous work on “The Curse of La Llorona” (2019) and “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” (2021). However, “The Conjuring: The Last Rites” is still in its development stages, with the writing process underway, leading to various possible creative avenues.
The Conjuring Universe
In a revealing interview with SlashFilm, Chaves explored the post-credit sequence seen in “The Nun II”, and its implications for this upcoming installment. He shared his excitement for the evolving project, noting the potential for the storyline to branch out in a variety of directions. But while he didn’t divulge any detailed plot points, Chaves implied an impressive finale being developed for “The Conjuring: Last Rites”. This enticing snippet suggests that audiences can look forward to an exhilarating conclusion to this saga, with rumors of a tantalizing cross-over involving all the Conjuring entities also hinted at.
Chaves shared: “I think that they’re still writing it. They’re still working on it. There’s definitely Conjuring: Last Rites coming. And in terms of the exorcism of Maurice, that’s always been a center, a cornerstone marker in the timeline, and I think it’s up to interpretation. I think there’s a lot of things that need to align, so it could go a couple of different ways.”
As a film-goer, Chaves enthusiastically envisioned a grand culmination to the franchise, sharing, “As an audience member, I would 100% see [a crossover of all Conjuring demons]. I couldn’t give away what I know about what’s being developed, but I know that they’re going to end with a bang. I know that there is a great finale being planned for Last Rites and as to what or who’s in it … I don’t want to give away any spoilers.”
The Conjuring Universe: A Vision By James Wan
“The Conjuring” franchise debuted in 2013 under the expert scope of James Wan, and rapidly grew into a considerable success. The initial film introduced audiences to Ed and Lorraine Warren (played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga), famed paranormal investigators who unravel spine-chilling mysteries. With each narrative inspired by true-life experiences, including that of the Amityville Horror, the franchise quickly generated a massive fan base.
Over the past decade, the series has diversified with several sequels and spin-offs, enhancing its popularity. To mark the 10-year celebratory landmark, James Wan shared his future visions for the franchise in an online featurette. His aspiration is to bring the story “full circle”, by reintegrating the tale of the demon nun into The Conjuring. His stated desire reveals the depth of resonance the demon nun character has had within popular culture.
Wan mused, “It would be great to eventually bring it back full circle — bring the Nun’s story and tie it back into The Conjuring. We’ve created this universe that has such a huge fan base. The demon nun really captured the zeitgeist.”
Meanwhile, the latest segment of this bone-chilling franchise, “The Nun II”, is currently playing in theaters. Hopefully, fans won’t have too long of a wait before “The Conjuring: The Last Rites” fulfils all their spooky expectations.
